Do Metal Bands Have a Day Job?

[DarkOne]

I was reading all the interviews in the PPVI booklet on the flight home. I saw different references to a band member's day job, and I got to wondering just how much money bands make.

Without getting into dollars and cents, I'd like to know which bands are able to support themselves as full time musicians, and which ones have to work second (non-music related) jobs. Lars of Manticora mentioned that both he and Michael Eriksen of Circus Maximus are personal trainers. I heard over the weekend that DC Cooper is a firefighter in Pittsburgh.

Obviously the small bands such as Stride are working day jobs, but what about the bigger ones that have numerous albums, but aren't on the level of a Dream Theater or a Judas Priest? I'm thinking about bands at the level of Nightwish, Fates Warning, Iced Earth, Kamelot or Edguy, for example.

Steve in Philly

 

[PyramazeGuitar]

I was reading all the interviews in the PPVI booklet on the flight home. I saw different references to a band member's day job, and I got to wondering just how much money bands make.

Without getting into dollars and cents, I'd like to know which bands are able to support themselves as full time musicians, and which ones have to work second (non-music related) jobs. Lars of Manticora mentioned that both he and Michael Eriksen of Circus Maximus are personal trainers. I heard over the weekend that DC Cooper is a firefighter in Pittsburgh.

Obviously the small bands such as Stride are working day jobs, but what about the bigger ones that have numerous albums, but aren't on the level of a Dream Theater or a Judas Priest? I'm thinking about bands at the level of Nightwish, Fates Warning, Iced Earth, Kamelot or Edguy, for example.

Steve in Philly

Well, let me put it this way:

Very few metal bands are actually capable of making a living from their music.
Even most bands on larger labels like Nuclear Blast, Century Media or Sanctuary Records can not make a decent living just by playing metal.

A average metal band only gets a very small fragment of the income from CD sales, and those sales are going down baby!!! More and more music is being downloaded for free on the internet, leaving the bands with even less money.

Here's something to think about: A average studio recording costs the bands somewhere between 10.000 and 16.000 USD. Most new bands today with 3 or less albums out, pay for that out of their own pockets, because most labels dare not take chances anymore. I don't want to get into numbers - but let me just say that we have to sell MANY albums to recoup the expenses for studio-time alone, 'cause the band percentage of the CD sales is so small. Most of the income from CD sales goes to the stores, the distributors and the record labels.

Once I had a long conversation with Vile (vocalist of Sentenced). They where huge in Europe, and I asked him if he could make a living from their music. His answer: 'I can pay my rent, but I can't afford a car'.

As for me - I work 40 hours a week as a Shipping Manager. Metal is in my heart and in my blood, and I love doing it - but it's not going to make me rich, that's for sure!

I'm quite sure that 6 out of the 10 bands at Prog Power this year have day jobs.

As for the bands you mentioned - I think two of those bands can make a living from their music. But then again - what is 'making a living'?? Does that include having a car, or just paying your rent and the bills and so on. It's a matter of interpretation I guess.

Michael Kammeyer - PYRAMAZE

 

[General Zod]

In general,, only the biggest of the bands don't need day jobs.

I know Evergrey no longer works regular jobs. However, a band like Nevermore still works regular jobs when not touring. Sometimes, it also comes down to the band members within a band, depending on how the money is divided up. For instance, I'm quite sure Jon and Tim of Iced Earth don't have day jobs, but I'd be willing to bet their bassist and drummer do.

Zod

 

[Joe-×]

I think we can anticipate the corset brigade saying:

Lars can give me a workout anytime.
I would love for DC to light my fire.

I need help on guessing what they'd say about Ericksen.

Joe

 

[Bryan316]

Now THIS is an interesting discussion. I've never really asked any band about the numbers cuz I always thought it rude to do that. But now that you guys have brought up these points, maybe I'll ask a few guys every once in a while.



But you certainly don't see the guys from Pyramaze or Conception showing off their bling on "Cribs"! Which is a shame, damnit!

 

[Angrafan]

I know that the guys from Angra work with music only.. Aside Angra, they do a lot of workshops in Brazil... And most of them give some music classes when they are not on tour...But the major part of their income is the band..

 

[prog2112]

I was actually talking to Felipe from Angra briefly about this. They are all full time musicians and do not have "day jobs". That's about all I got out of him becuase some other people were waiting to talk to him.


-Sheri

 

[MetalAges]

Nevermore, unless I heard wrong, just now are able to work music mostly full time (since their new contract). Maybe they keep their jobs any how who knows. Out of the bands you mentioned, based on the interviews I've done, all of those bands make a living from their music if I am not mistaken. It may be different for the Fates Warning guys maybe since they release albums too far apart these days. Iced Earth I would imagine a couple of the guys in the bands need day jobs. But Michael is right...it is few and far between these days.

 

[General Zod]

Nevermore, unless I heard wrong, just now are able to work music mostly full time (since their new contract)

I hope you're right. It bugs the shit out of me that Pop Stars, without an ounce of talent, live in mansions, and Warrell Dane has to flip burgers to survive.

Zod

 

[DarkOne]

Ah, remember the days of Motley Crue and Posion buying mansions and sports cars and giant limos . . . .

The 80's are over

Michael, I appreciate the input of one of those "bands in question." Hope we get a few more to chime in.

Steve in Philly

 

[adaher]

Tobias says that Edguy can live off the music. Lana Lane also says she and Eric Norlander just live off the music.

Seems like once you cross about 100,000 worldwide sales musicians start thinking about doing it full time.

 

[johnfrank1970]

http://www.tpom.com/pmboard/wwwbb_arch_msg.php?m=208030

 

[rottingflesh]

I guess I would have thought that Nevermore is much bigger than Evergrey...did not realize they do not have to work, that is VERY cool..... I know Jeff from Nevermore does not work anymore.... he did for years though.... Amazon.com, Cook, etc...

In general,, only the biggest of the bands don't need day jobs.

I know Evergrey no longer works regular jobs. However, a band like Nevermore still works regular jobs when not touring. Sometimes, it also comes down to the band members within a band, depending on how the money is divided up. For instance, I'm quite sure Jon and Tim of Iced Earth don't have day jobs, but I'd be willing to bet their bassist and drummer do.

Zod

 

[Dr.Caligari]

Jon Schaffer ownes his own business. I think Ed guy is big enough to avoid day jobs. Richard Christy used to be an electrician but now he works for Howard Stern. Most of them have their own businessess which is cool.

 

[sh0kr0k]

If you read the Therion interview in the event program, Christofer said that he doesn't work anymore eventhough he doesn't make enough on music sales to get by very well.

 

[rottingflesh]

I have a friend that just got off Ozzfest...I mean he does not even play in the kind of band that we like and he had a day job for a long time...just the last couple of years he was able to go without the day job.....i always laughed at the fact that he worked in a candy store in the mall and a shoe store in the mall.... i could just see 15 year olds coming up going "you look like that guy in.........."

 

[metal71]

I have an idea. Instead of highlighting pop stars on MTV's 'Cribs', they could do a show about metal bands called 'Jobs'.

That would probably cause a couple million wannabes to hock thier guitars and go to college, and enlighten millions more about the whole Napster issue...

 

[Brandon_D]

i know the guys from Tankard do!

 

[sh0kr0k]

I have an idea. Instead of highlighting pop stars on MTV's 'Cribs', they could do a show about metal bands called 'Jobs'.

That would probably cause a couple million wannabes to hock thier guitars and go to college, and enlighten millions more about the whole Napster issue...

I'd watch that!

 

[Pellaz]

Me, too.....except that, knowing MTV, they'd present it with a smirk, like "See how far metal has fallen? These [amazingly talented and deserving] metal guys have to have day jobs, while [talentless] hip-hop artists have all the bling-bling."

They wouldn't mention the stuff in brackets. . . but I would.